Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA HSI 011903
Apply for USDA NIFA HSI 011903
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.223.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-09-10.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-12-03. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 40 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program (Assistance Listing/CFDA 10.223) is a competitive grant opportunity from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) designed to build and expand the capacity of Hispanic-Serving Institutions to deliver strong education programs, applied research experiences, and related community development work, particularly in areas connected to agriculture and related fields. The overall goal is to help HSIs strengthen what they can offer students and their communities through projects that improve teaching and learning, introduce or modernize curricula, expand hands-on training, and connect classroom instruction to real-world needs. NIFA is looking for proposals that are genuinely innovative and have the potential to produce approaches that other colleges and universities could replicate at a regional or even national level.
A key feature of this program is the emphasis on education projects that can incorporate applied research and community outreach as part of a formal teaching and training experience. In practice, this means applicants can propose efforts where students learn through doing, for example by participating in faculty-led applied projects that address community challenges, workforce gaps, or local and regional needs, and then sharing results through extension-style outreach or community engagement. While the program is specifically for HSIs, NIFA makes it clear that the benefits of funded projects should reach the entire campus population rather than being limited only to Hispanic students. In other words, eligibility to apply is tied to HSI status, but project design is expected to improve institutional capacity and student outcomes broadly.
Only Hispanic-Serving Institutions may apply, and the program uses the statutory definition of an HSI. For this competition, an applicant must be an institution of higher education that meets the eligibility requirements in federal law (including 20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(2)) and must have at least 25 percent undergraduate full-time Hispanic enrollment (20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(5)). Collaboration applications are allowed, but any HSI collaborators included in a collaboration grant must also provide documentation showing they qualify as HSIs. NIFA also notes that applicants must meet all requirements in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) by the application deadline; if an applicant does not meet eligibility requirements on time, the application can be removed from consideration or NIFA may be unable to make an award.
To prove eligibility, each applicant must include a formal Certification of Eligibility with the application. This certification must be a letter signed by the institution’s Authorized Representative (AR) and must rely on the most recent available data, but no older than the 2023-2024 academic year. The letter must also state the timeframe the data comes from. In that certification, the AR must attest that the institution (or the parent institution, for an independent branch campus) is state-authorized to provide education leading to an associate or bachelor’s degree (or is a junior/community college), is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency (or making reasonable progress toward accreditation), serves a high-need student population as shown by Title IV need-based aid and/or Pell Grant participation (with specific criteria described in the NOFO text), has comparatively low educational and general expenditures per full-time equivalent undergraduate student unless waived by the Secretary of Education, and meets the requirement of at least 25 percent Hispanic undergraduate full-time enrollment at the time of application. The eligibility documentation is submitted as part of the application package in the “Other Attachments†section (Field 12), consistent with the NOFO instructions.
The opportunity is listed as a discretionary grant competition. The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA HSI 011903. The posted award ceiling is $1,200,000, and NIFA anticipates making about 40 awards under this announcement. The application closing date listed is 2026-12-03. Because NIFA policies can be strict on compliance, applicants also need to pay attention to a couple of important restrictions: NIFA will not fund work that duplicates or substantially overlaps with already-funded efforts, and it will not accept duplicate or substantially similar applications submitted to more than one program in the same funding cycle. Within this program, only one application per applicant will be accepted for peer review, and redundant submissions can be excluded. In addition, USDA states it will not accept competitive applications for grants or cooperative agreements involving “dangerous gain-of-function research†as defined in Section 8 of Executive Order 14292, which is a screening consideration for proposed research components.
Finally, the NOFO highlights a citizenship and residency limitation tied to student financial support: undergraduate and graduate students who receive support through scholarships or fellowships funded by this grant must be U.S. citizens or nationals, or permanent residents. For institutions that are newer to federal funding, NIFA points applicants to its “About Grants†resources, which can help prospective applicants understand common federal grant requirements, compliance expectations, and the overall awards process.
Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program (CFDA 10.223) - FAQs
What is the Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program?
The HSI Education Grants Program (Assistance Listing/CFDA 10.223) is a competitive grant opportunity from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It is designed to build and expand the capacity of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to deliver strong education programs, applied research experiences, and related community development work, especially in agriculture and related fields.
What is the main goal of this grant program?
The overall goal is to help HSIs strengthen what they can offer students and their communities through projects that improve teaching and learning, introduce or modernize curricula, expand hands-on training, and connect classroom instruction to real-world needs. NIFA is specifically looking for proposals that are genuinely innovative and potentially replicable by other colleges and universities at a regional or national level.
Which agency is offering this funding?
This opportunity is offered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
What is the funding opportunity number for this competition?
The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA HSI 011903.
Is this a competitive grant or a formula grant?
This is a discretionary grant competition and applications are reviewed competitively.
Who is eligible to apply?
Only Hispanic-Serving Institutions may apply, using the statutory definition of an HSI. For this competition, an applicant must be an institution of higher education that meets federal eligibility requirements (including 20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(2)) and must have at least 25 percent undergraduate full-time Hispanic enrollment (20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(5)).
Can an institution apply if it is not an HSI?
No. Eligibility to apply is tied to HSI status, and only HSIs may submit an application under this program.
Does the project need to benefit only Hispanic students?
No. While applicants must be HSIs, NIFA states that the benefits of funded projects should reach the entire campus population rather than being limited only to Hispanic students. Project design is expected to improve institutional capacity and student outcomes broadly.
Are collaboration applications allowed?
Yes, collaboration applications are allowed. Any HSI collaborators included in a collaboration grant must provide documentation showing they qualify as HSIs.
What documentation is required to prove HSI eligibility?
Each applicant must include a formal Certification of Eligibility with the application. This must be a letter signed by the institution's Authorized Representative (AR) and must rely on the most recent available data, but no older than the 2023-2024 academic year. The letter must also state the timeframe the data comes from.
What must the Certification of Eligibility letter include?
In the Certification of Eligibility, the AR must attest that the institution (or the parent institution, for an independent branch campus):
- Is state-authorized to provide education leading to an associate or bachelor's degree (or is a junior/community college)
- Is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency (or is making reasonable progress toward accreditation)
- Serves a high-need student population as shown by Title IV need-based aid and/or Pell Grant participation (with specific criteria described in the NOFO)
- Has comparatively low educational and general expenditures per full-time equivalent undergraduate student, unless waived by the Secretary of Education
- Meets the requirement of at least 25 percent Hispanic undergraduate full-time enrollment at the time of application
How recent does the eligibility data need to be?
The eligibility certification must rely on the most recent available data, but it cannot be older than the 2023-2024 academic year. The letter must also state the timeframe the data comes from.
Where should the Certification of Eligibility be uploaded in the application?
The eligibility documentation is submitted as part of the application package in the "Other Attachments" section (Field 12), consistent with the NOFO instructions.
What happens if an applicant does not meet eligibility requirements by the deadline?
NIFA states that applicants must meet all requirements in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) by the application deadline. If an applicant does not meet eligibility requirements on time, the application can be removed from consideration or NIFA may be unable to make an award.
What kinds of projects does NIFA want to fund under this program?
NIFA is looking for education projects that strengthen institutional capacity and student outcomes. Examples described include projects that improve teaching and learning, introduce or modernize curricula, expand hands-on training, and connect classroom instruction to real-world needs, particularly in agriculture and related fields.
Does the program allow applied research or community outreach as part of an education project?
Yes. A key feature is the emphasis on education projects that can incorporate applied research and community outreach as part of a formal teaching and training experience. Students can learn through doing, such as participating in faculty-led applied projects that address community challenges, workforce gaps, or local and regional needs, and sharing results through extension-style outreach or community engagement.
Does NIFA require proposals to be innovative?
Yes. NIFA is looking for proposals that are genuinely innovative and that have the potential to produce approaches that other colleges and universities could replicate regionally or nationally.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The posted award ceiling is $1,200,000.
How many awards does NIFA expect to make?
NIFA anticipates making about 40 awards under this announcement.
What is the application closing date?
The application closing date listed is 2026-12-03.
Can an applicant submit more than one application under this program?
No. Within this program, only one application per applicant will be accepted for peer review. Redundant submissions can be excluded.
Can an applicant submit similar applications to multiple USDA/NIFA programs in the same cycle?
No. NIFA will not accept duplicate or substantially similar applications submitted to more than one program in the same funding cycle.
Will NIFA fund projects that duplicate existing funded work?
No. NIFA will not fund work that duplicates or substantially overlaps with already-funded efforts.
Are there restrictions related to dangerous gain-of-function research?
Yes. USDA states it will not accept competitive applications for grants or cooperative agreements involving "dangerous gain-of-function research" as defined in Section 8 of Executive Order 14292. This is a screening consideration for proposed research components.
Are there citizenship or residency requirements for students supported with grant-funded scholarships or fellowships?
Yes. Undergraduate and graduate students who receive support through scholarships or fellowships funded by this grant must be U.S. citizens or nationals, or permanent residents.
Where can newer applicants find help understanding NIFA grants and requirements?
NIFA points applicants to its "About Grants" resources for help understanding common federal grant requirements, compliance expectations, and the overall awards process.
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